Technical Field
The present invention relates to an image processing system, a process execution control apparatus, and an image generation-output control apparatus.
Background Art
Systems that can define and control various processes for generating a printed product by using a data format such as job definition format (JDF) are known. This system can control various types of printers such as offset printers and digital printers collectively. This system can be referred to a hybrid work flow (HWF) system, and a server that controls the HWF system can be referred to a HWF server.
As to the HWF system, when the offset printer and the digital printer independently perform a printing operation based on the same print data, it is required to print the same image having no difference of font, color tone, layout or the like between an image printed by the offset printer and an image printed by the digital printer. Therefore, the same raster image processor (RIP) engine that generates raster data based on print data is disposed in each one of the offset printer and the digital printer. In this description, a term of the “same RIP engine” is used to indicate that one same type of RIP engine is disposed in each of different apparatuses. The raster data is data that is referred at a final stage when a printing operation is performed.
Typically, the RIP engine is disposed in the HWF server. When the offset printer performs a printing operation, the RIP engine in the HWF server generates raster data (hereinafter, “RIP processing”), and the raster data is transferred to a computer-to-plate (CTP) that generates a plate for the offset printer.
In this configuration of the HWF system, when the digital printer performs a printing operation, the RIP engine in the HWF server generates raster data, and transfers the raster data to the digital printer to execute the printing operation. Specifically, a digital front end (DFE) of the digital printer receives print data, and performs the RIP processing to execute the printing operation by using a printer engine.
When the digital printer performs the printing operation in the HWF system, the DFE receives data from the HWF server, and the DFE controls the printer engine of the digital printer to execute the printing operation. Therefore, as described above, the same RIP engine is disposed in the offset printer and also in the DFE.
Further, when the print output operation is executed at each of the plurality of printers, graphic data of fonts are embedded in print data so that printout results by the plurality of printers have no differences due to differences of font data installed to each of the plurality of printers.
As to the RIP processing, various processing can be performed to print data. For example, a mark processing that applies one or more designated marks to the print data, and an embedding process that embeds graphic data of font to the print data can be performed. The raster data processed by the RIP processing is generated as one data integrating these process results. Therefore, it cannot be identified which part is applied with which mark in the raster data. Therefore, when the raster data, processed by the RIP processing by the RIP engine disposed in the HWF server, is transferred to the digital printer, some processing processed by the RIP processing at the HWF server cannot be changed at the digital printer.
In another case, the font processing cannot be changed at other printer because print data embedded with the graphic data of fonts for one printer is transmitted to other printer.
Further, the above described issue also occurs when the distributed processing is performed between the HWF server and DFE, in which the HWF server performs the RIP processing to the middle of the processing, and intermediate data generated by the RIP processing is transferred to the digital printer to perform the remaining RIP processing.